


Betrayed and Forgotten

by LikeSlytherins



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Hogwarts House Sorting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Bad Albus Dumbledore, Bisexual Sirius Black, Eventual James Potter & Sirius Black, Good Orion Black, Grey Sirius Black, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Parent-Child Relationship, Potter bashing, Ravenclaw Sirius Black, Sane Sirius Black, Seer Sirius Black, Sirius Black Lives, Slow Build, Smart Sirius Black, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Time Travel Fix-It, Young Sirius Black
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:27:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28056126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeSlytherins/pseuds/LikeSlytherins
Summary: "Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?""Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”-Sirius woke up with a jolt.'Come on, you can do better than that!' He grinned at his cousin.He looked around frantically, trying not to hyperventilate.In. Out.His eyes widened in shock when a beam hit his chest before he felt a smirk spreading on his face. Only a knockback jinx? Even his father would have been disappointed in dear Bella. But as soon as he started falling he realized what she had done. It seemed Azkaban hadn't impacted her intellect after all.He recognized the room he was in. Was this even possible? Was this real? Was this some kind of personalized hell? A joke?-After falling through the Veil Sirius Black wakes up on his tenth birthday and has an... interesting conversation with his father. Deciding that this is his personal heaven, he will live the life he's always wanted. A life free of prejudice, free of expectations and filled with love.(Tags/relationships and characters will be added as we go along.)
Relationships: Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Severus Snape, Sirius Black/Severus Snape
Comments: 62
Kudos: 532





	1. The end or just the beginning

_"Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"_

_"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”_

* * *

Sirius woke up with a jolt. 

_'Come on, you can do better than that!' He grinned at his cousin._

He looked around frantically, trying not to hyperventilate.

In. Out.

_His eyes widened in shock when a beam hit his chest before he felt a smirk spreading on his face. Only a knockback jinx? Even his father would have been disappointed in dear Bella._

He recognized the room he was in. Was this even possible? Was this real? Was this some kind of personalized hell? _A joke?_

_But as soon as he started falling he realized what she had done. It seemed Azkaban hadn't impacted her intellect after all. Harry, sweet Harry, had looked at him with a look of complete shock and fear._

He stared down at his small hands completely failing at containing his panic attack.

_The last thing he heard before he blacked out was a triumphant scream and Harry's frantic 'SIRIUS!'_

"I'm- dead?" he croaked out. He felt tears make their way down his face. How... how could he? Hadn't he promised James he would take care of Prongslet? Was this fucked-up fever dream James' revenge? He clasped his arms around his body.

He couldn't breathe. He tried to, but he couldn't. Well, not like it mattered. It's not like he was... alive. He swallowed, realizing what this meant. Moony and... Peter. God. Peter.

His vision started to blur around the edges. He almost barked out a laugh, he had just died and now he was going to, again? He felt like the Black madness had finally caught up with him. 

Either way, I deserve it, he thought. For letting his best mate die, for getting his ass landed in Azkaban, for not being there for Harry. And most of all, for letting Harry get... He gulped. He was getting light-headed. Was this the end? Could he finally see Prongs' face again? He cringed, how could he even begin to tell Lily and James about what happened?

He lost control of his body just before someone stormed inside his room.

"SIRIUS!" a raven-haired boy screeched.

As he lost consciousness he wondered if Harry had followed him into the afterlife. God, James was going to kill him. Again.

-HP- 

He felt a weight on his chest when he woke up. He firmly kept his eyes shut. He wasn't ready to have a conversation yet. God, what if it was James sitting there? Or his father? He suppressed a wince.

"Sirius? Are you awake?" A familiar voice asked. One he hadn't heard in ages. God, this really was his afterlife, wasn't it?

"Your eye's twitching." The voice spoke up after he kept laying still.

Admitting his defeat he let his eyelids come up revealing... 

"Reggie?" his voice cracked. He was pretty sure he had tears in his eyes. "Is that-" before he could continue, the body started strangling him.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again." His younger brother glared at him. His perfect little brother. Regulus Arcturus Black. A Slytherin, Death Eater and Heir to the family after he, himself, got disowned. But to him, he was just Reggie. Dear Reggie, the one he had vowed to protect but failed to. Just like he had failed everything and everyone, _everyone,_ else.

"I'm, I'm so sorry Reggie" he croaked out and hugged the boy back. Regulus froze. 

"What's wrong with you?!" he asked in a high voice while struggling to get loose. 

"I shouldn't, I should've- I didn't."

"Yes, Sirius Orion Black. What _is_ wrong with you?" Sirius gaze snapped to the new figure standing in the doorway, "Suddenly collapsing like that and on your birthday party nonetheless. Do you know how much you worried us?" Sirius just blinked. He ignored the words that came out of the man's mouth. Was that... He shook his head and looked again.

"Daddy?" he blurted out before thinking. He felt his face flush when he realized what he had just said. It was blatant disrespect. Calling an Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black anything other than father as a son was a no-go and would be heavily punished. He hadn't ever called his father dad or daddy before. Was it okay here? In the afterlife? He glanced at his father's face and his mind blanked when he realized what emotions he was portraying. For once in his life, his father wasn't wearing a mask. Orion Black had a look on his face of shock, worry and... warmth?

Before he could move his stunned body his father had joined in the hug. "My Heir, are you alright? Are you hurting anywhere? Did someone do this to you?" he asked urgently.

Sirius blinked. This was new.

"I'm... your heir?" He cursed his inner Gryffindor, he really should think before he spoke.

His father froze before he retracted his arms to kneel beside the bed. 

"Why would you think you weren't?" He frowned at the look on Sirius' face.

"Oh my boy, you don't believe the rumours, do you?" his gaze softened as he put his hand on his son's shoulder, "As long as I've got a say in it you'll stay as the Heir-dependant for the rest of your life. It doesn't matter if others don't think you're suited to become a Lord. The family magic chose you before any other so even if you're sorted as a Hufflepuff," a brief look of disgust flashed on the man's face, "I'm afraid you'll be stuck with me."

Sirius knew this was a lie and he was about to speak his mind before he saw the look on his father's face. He was speaking the truth, but how could he? Had he not disowned him just a decade earlier? Why didn't he... remember?

"The only way you could get disowned as an heir of our family is if you," he pointed with his finger at Sirius' chest, "decide to leave. The family magic will recognize if you don't want to be part of the Blacks." His father patted his head.

"It's a safety precaution. After all, how can a Lord lead a family he doesn't bear goodwill towards?" He smiles at him, actually _smiles_ , Sirius thinks and his dad kisses him on his forehead before standing up and stalking towards the door. 

"So don't worry, my heir. We will not let you go." He glances at the hall outside the door and hesitates, "I will... _calm down_ your mother. Just rest for now."

After his father's left the room Regulus speaks up.

"Did you honestly believe them?" 

"...What?"

Regulus looks shocked, "Father would never disown you for a stupid reason as you being sorted into Gryffindor." He glares at him again. "Mother would probably kick up a fuss but honestly when doesn't she?"

Is this real? He looks at his younger brother with a bewildered expression. Did he misinterpret this dream? Was this actually his heaven? He tightened his arms around Regulus. If it was, he would pray it never ended. 

-HP-

It was two months after he first arrived in his heaven, as he decided it would be called when Sirius concluded that yes, this was permanent. The angel that decided to give him the dream world he's always wanted, a world of second chances, would not take it back. In the first weeks back in 12 Grimmauld place, he had found himself tearing up at random moments multiple times. Hell, he burst out crying the first time Kreacher popped up in the same room as him. The still young and energetic house-elf actually treating him kindly as he wasn't a black smudge on the Black family tapestry yet(?). His father and younger brother hadn't stopped fussing over him either. It seemed as if they were worried about him, as he had suddenly collapsed at his party without any clear signs as to why. 

When the family healer had come by she had called it a 'fluke'. She had said it was probably just an unstable magical core playing up as he had just turned ten. Sirius was quite shocked after he found that out too. Not the core part, his current _physical_ age. She recommended bed rest after she found out he had exhausted himself magically and said that he was to be kept as 'stress-free as possible'. She had given his father a hard glare at that, she'd probably heard about the infamous Walburga Black and the rumours surrounding her. 

After the visit by the healer, he had mostly stayed inside his room or visited the Black library. He would use the chance Ms Angel had given him for the best. He promised himself that he would lead a life free of prejudice. The talk with his father had made him realize that he was way too quick about reaching conclusions and this made him impulsive. In the past, he had thought it to be a good thing. Brushing it off as braveness and loyalty to the _greater good._ He always asked what but never asked why. It had cost him precious friends and family. And it had become his death.

So. Sirius had decided that he would ask more questions, be more aware of himself, and with that read more books. He wanted to base his opinions on the knowledge _he_ had found, with no outsiders' influence, however good they may seem. He wanted to have his own arguments for his point of view and not carelessly copy others'. No, he would be his own man this time around, he'd make sure of that. 

His father had taken it as a sign that he was finally interested in his pureblood- and heir studies and had noticeably relaxed. Before his birthday, Sirius had become rash and more standoffish. Sometimes even showing off the temper he had inherited from his mother. Orion Black had worried that the 'Black Madness', as it was publicly known as, was showing up in his eldest. He had stopped, however, after he had spoken to his son when he had woken up. He realized that his son must have been worried about his heirship, knowing how successful his own grandfather and father were in the political scene must have impressed him. Making him believe he would never be the perfect heir they expected, _required_ , of him. 

He had sighed, he had known about the rumours surrounding his Sirius. Hell, his wife had even encouraged them. Saying it would be great practice for the harshness of the political scene. He should have expected a mere ten-year-old boy would crack under the pressure. He didn't think the rumours were unfounded, though. Anyone who met his eldest son would know that the boy was no Slytherin. However much he disliked it, it was clear that he would probably be sorted into Gryffindor with his impulsive manner of speaking and the incapability of upholding a proper mask even with the use of Occlumency. No, the rumours would probably true, but the suggestions that came with it weren't. Disowning the heir-dependant just because of a mere house-sorting, _disgusting_ . Absolutely disgusting. No, he'd make sure his boy, _his_ boy, would never have those misconceptions again. He would start properly protecting him as he should have from the beginning, that he swore.

-HP-

"What are you up to?" His younger brother had asked one day. Sirius, who had just picked up another load of books from the Manor's library looked up at him quizzically. 

"What do you mean?"

Regulus fidgeted, "Well... You haven't actually caused any trouble for the past few months. You're just reading and plotting inside your room. So, what  _ are _ you planning?" He gave him an intense stare.

God, was this really how they had seen him when he was younger? He had realized his heaven copied the way the world had been for him as a kid, so if Reggie asked him this he had probably seen him as an intense prankster in the past. Not that he was wrong but just knowing that that was how his younger brother saw him  _ hurt _ somehow.

He gazed at the small body before him, because that's what he was. Small. Just 8 years old. He had never been a good older brother to him, he realized. No, Regulus had often gotten caught up in his pranks. He hadn't even tried to protect him later in his life when they were both in Hogwarts, on opposite sides of a feud. He had failed his friends  _ and _ family, he finally understood. Because of him, his younger brother had grown up wary and frustrated. And because of his assumptions, he had left the family completely, leaving Reggie behind. Yes, Regulus had joined the Death Eaters but he knew most of the Slytherin purebloods had been under a lot of pressure to do so. Had he just been there for support, that might not have happened. 

"I'm just reading Reggie, don't worry."

Regulus gave him a look and left the room. Sirius sighed, it seemed like he wouldn't trust him just yet. He closed his copy of  _ Secrets of the Darker Arts  _ and placed it on top of the growing pile of books. He had decided to not be so judgemental of the different kinds of magic this time around. It had limited himself greatly last time, he had a grey oriented core so by not learning the spells for the darker side of him he had rejected a part of his magic. No, he clenched his hands, he wouldn't let that happen to him again. Rejecting your own magic was painful and could cause your core to go haywire. Not using the magic that was naturally yours could corrupt the magical energy inside you, causing harmful side-effects and possibly shrinking your magic pool. It could ruin the balance of his magic as he had a grey core, making him lunge out influenced by the dark energy he couldn't deal with. 

He sighed and let himself fall on his bed. He had so many things he wanted to do. It was already almost autumn, he realized. Just a couple months before he would receive his Hogwarts letter. He had already seen James at a couple of social gatherings. It had tripped him up the first time it happened. Seeing him arrogantly waltz around with his black mop of hair so similar to Harry's had made him realize how long he hadn't seen him. He hadn't approached him and he wasn't planning to. No, this wasn't his James, his best mate and fellow Marauder, Prongs. This was a ten-year-old boy who would go to Hogwarts with him next year. It hurt him when he realized James and his' friendship would never be the same. They would never have the same memories in this world, which was a good thing. But it also meant that he would never be able to get close to him, knowing that every time he spoke to him he would be reminded by his past. 

He grumbled into the sheets. God. Why was life this frustrating! He stared at the empty walls of his bedroom, he hadn't had his rebellious period of life yet so his posters were missing. He didn't know if he actually missed them, though. He had put them up to reject the beliefs of his parents but he didn't know if he disagreed with them this time. He let out a heavy sigh, he would have to read into it. Maybe he could ask his father if he could borrow some books from the Malfoy Manor, they had a large collection of books on the current political scene... His mind dazed off, debating his options.


	2. Very curious indeed

His eleventh birthday had come and gone. Sirius hadn't even noticed the passage of time because his father had finally shown him the books on the family magic he had never had access to before. He remembered his Hogwarts letter arriving and being shocked that it was already November. He had been in his new world for a year now! He had smiled at that, Regulus and his father had been a delight. After his younger brother had realized he had stopped being a borderline bully they had become a lot closer. Orion Black was talking to him way more often this time around. Telling him the things he could share about his work with the Unspeakables and advising him on new books to read in preparation for Hogwarts. Lately, Sirius would often join him and Lord Black, his grandfather, after a Wizengamot session to debate the propositions other members had made. After Arcturus Black realized his grandson was interested in the political scene and the proceedings behind it, he had named multiple books his ideology was based upon. He had told him to think for himself, as one that is convinced of his opinion will be a beacon for others. 

Lord Black had never been interested in him in his other reality so he had never spent much time with him before his death. It was one of the things that had changed for Sirius, one other being his relationship with Reggie. One thing that remained the same, however, was his relationship with his mother. She would be right up there with Molly Weasley with the amount of screeching she got up to. He hadn't realized how much he _hadn't_ missed her after his arrival because the family healer had ordered her to stay away from him. Heck, he hadn't even known she was missing from the picture until she arrived back in Grimmauld in the summer. It seemed as if the rest of the household had agreed with him, house-elves included. Walburga had a terrible habit of thrashing around after her temper had triggered. 

She hadn't joined the little family today, though. And it was probably for the best. It was the day they would go shopping in Diagon Alley and the other lesser-known ones. Currently, his grandfather was holding his right hand while Reggie held his left. He had decided to not let go after Orion Black had apparated them because honestly, his hands were cold. And it wasn't like he had to act like a perfect pure-blood heir yet. He was only eleven, for fucks sake. He glanced around the busy street. He wanted to enjoy every bit of love he could get before everything went to pieces.

His father was currently getting the needed funds from his heir vault at Gringotts while they were looking through the books at Flourish and Botts. They had filled half a basket with books when the Potter family came in. He had recognized the Potters almost instantaneously, with their messy hair, short stature, and eyes not dissimilar to the Black family's. 

"Ah, Arcturus, doing some school shopping as well, I see?" A warm voice sounded from Flaemont Potter. 

His grandfather's mouth clenched. Sirius, too, realized how rude Lord Potter was. He glanced at the man standing before his grandfather. Was this really the man he had looked up to in his past life? He had thought the man to be gentle and welcoming, but after reading up on his pureblood etiquette he had realized it was not the case. He'd noticed the glint of mischief in those eyes when Lord Potter had talked to them. No, this man was mocking his grandfather in a most Slytherin way. Unless spoken to, a Lord of a house of lower standing would not greet a Lord of a higher one first. And he had even dared to use his first name! The first name of the head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black of all houses! No, he thought. He would not be tricked by Lord Potter this time. 

Lord Potter blinked at the glare he received from the young heir-dependant. Headmaster Dumbledore had told him about the ignorant and temperamental boy of the Blacks. It seemed he was misinformed after all.

"Lord Potter. Yes, we are here to buy young Sirius his books." His grandfather did not treat the other man to a bow to show his feelings about the disrespect. Sirius copied him, to Arcturus' delight. 

"Your heir and his wife couldn't be bothered?" He gestured to them, "You look a little lonesome. We could go to Ollivanders together to spare you some shame. We _are_ family after all." He smirked.

" _My_ heir is currently in a different shop." Lord Black retaliated, "He will join us shortly. And mind you, we are not family. Just because Dorea married your brother doesn't mean we're related. Quite the opposite in fact."

"Whatever you say, Arcturus." The Potters walked past the Blacks to pick up their heir's books. James threw Sirius a curious glance. 

"You know it's girly to grow your hair out, right?" The small boy blurted out.

Sirius just stared in response, his first confrontation with James and it was about him judging his hair? He had been growing it out ever since his tenth birthday because he missed the feeling of his own long hair and he liked the effortless buns his hair could be put in. No one had said anything about it till James. 

"It's considered a tradition for accepted heirs of pureblood houses." He replied, having thought up a proper excuse beforehand. His grandfather gave him a fond look at that and smirked at the implication. Orion's heir was truly a treasure to be kept. 

"Wh- wait..." Before James could continue sputtering Arcturus Black interrupted him. 

"Well, if that is all we shall be going now. I'm afraid my son is waiting for us." With that, he started walking towards the counter with his two grandsons behind him. Leaving the shocked Potters in their wake. 

Arcturus Black grinned through his pureblood mask. It seemed Sirius had an inner snake after all.

"Good job," He ruffled the boy's hair before he put the basket filled with books on the counter. He gestured for his son to deal with the bill and strode out of the store. And well, if someone noticed he had slipped in an extra book as a reward for Sirius' display, no one said anything.

-HP-

A couple hours later, the Black family found themselves mostly done with school shopping. They hadn't had another encounter with the Potters, nor with any other notable Lords, luckily enough. 

Sirius looked around the small shop with wand boxes stacked alongside the wall. He had only been here once, so why was he feeling this nostalgic? 

"Ah, Mr. Black. I was wondering when you would come by."

He turned to the direction the sound came from. 

"Mr. Ollivander." His grandfather greeted him with a nod.

"I remember when your grandfather and father came here for their first wand, Mr. Black," Ollivander spoke while his magical tape started taking Sirius' measurements. As odd as they were, they were necessary.

"Elmwood with a dragon heartstring core, Dragon Heartstring, and fourteen and a half inches, and quite a bendy wand for Lord Black. And for you, Heir Black, rowan wood with, curiously, another dragon heartstring core, twelve inches. Hard. An excellent wand for defensive magic." Ollivander took a look at the results, 

"It does make one wonder if you will take after the family."

Sirius flinched at that.

"But in the end, it's the wand that chooses the wizard, after all." He frowned while looking at the shelf of wands behind the counter. 

"Here," he said while handing Sirius a wand, "Maple wood, dragon heartstring. Eight inches. Reasonably supple. Come on, give it a swish."

He sighed when the old man snatched the wand away before he could touch it. He had known this would happen, the last time he was here he'd gotten through quite a few wands too before Ollivander found his. Maybe he should just tell him what his wand was and be done with it?

"Oh, no. _Definitely_ not." The man rushed to another side of the shop to promptly give him a different wand. "Reed, dragon heartstring. Twelve inches and nice and swishy." 

This time Sirius had an actual wand in his hand, albeit for a few seconds. The flower pots in the windowsill exploded. He probably shouldn't say anything, he didn't want to draw any attention to himself.

"Interesting." Ollivander mumbled, "Perhaps..." 

Sirius frowned when the next one, too, resulted in a failure. His grandfather had grumbled when the man had pulled out that wand. It was widely known that unicorn hair cores didn't suit wizards who practiced Dark Arts. It wasn't that Sirius was expecting the wand to work for him, but he remembered very explicitly that Ollivander had given him this wand to try the last time too. His mother had thrown a fit after the wand seemed to accept him at first, after all. He started panicking, what if his wand didn't accept him this time? The wand he had yearned for, for over ten years? He bit down on his lip. Had he really changed too much for his own wand to reject him?

His mind was pulled out of its thoughts when a warm hand suddenly patted his head.

"Don't worry, Sirius," the deep voice of his father sounded, "It took quite a while for me too." he looked at the frantic man running around the shop. "He might be a bit eccentric, but he is skilled at what he does. He has never turned away a customer." 

Sirius swallowed, his father was right. If he had changed too much for his old wand, other wands would recognize this too. Ollivander would find him a wand to fit him as he was right now. It would be okay, it would be better. A wand should choose him for who he was and not because of their history together.

While Sirius was having an internal argument with himself, the pile of rejected wands was steadily growing, and Ollivander's mood kept improving.

"Curious..." The old man stopped his search to look at the young boy standing in the middle of his shop. 

"You know that every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Black? We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. Of course, every core is different because no unicorns or dragons can ever be the same." He purposefully paused to narrow his eyes at Sirius.

"Curious you are, then, that every one of those cores rejects your magic."

Orion and Arcturus looked at each other, alarmed. "What does that mean?" Lord Black spoke up almost immediately. They had been in the shop for a while, but they had trusted in the man's capability to find the young Sirius a wand. Orion Black looked at his son with eyes filled with worry, was Sirius' concern warranted, after all?

"But I haven't even tested half of the wands in here yet. How can you know that?" Sirius asked with a frown and growing anxiety. His old wand hadn't even come up yet!

"It means, Lord Black, that your son will not find a partner in either one of those cores." He turned to Sirius, "I know this because most of these wands are brothers." He waved around the store.

"A lot of my wands share hairs of the same unicorn, heartstrings of the same dragon, or feathers of the same phoenix. Otherwise, wand-making would be almost impossible. Imagine the prices wands would have! No, believe me when I say this. Every one of those cores has rejected you today. It's quite an accomplishment, really. I don't think this has ever happened to anyone in my family before."

"Does..." Sirius scratched the back of his head, "Does this mean I will not be able to use a wand? Because no wand... wants me?"

Ollivander's gaze softened, "Of course not, Mr. Black. While it might be that every unicorn hair, phoenix feather, and dragon heartstring has rejected you, other cores have not."

Sirius' father blinked at that, "Sir? Do you sell wands with other magical cores?"

"Why?" Sirius added curiously, relieved that there'll still be options for him. "I've never heard of someone who uses a wand that doesn't have one of those cores."

Ollivander sighed, "We don't, but my ancestors did work with other cores and there are wands that are left over from their generations. The reason why we don't anymore is that a lot of these cores can be dangerous. Wands with these cores are very specific about the type of witch or wizard they will partner with and aren't as flexible as the cores commonly used." He looked at Sirius, hesitating before continuing. 

"There have been cases of... death after a core decided it didn't like her master anymore and became unstable. Although rare, it's still very possible it can occur." He glanced at the looks on the older Black's faces.

"However, as long as your magical core doesn't drastically change this shouldn't be a problem. It's good to be aware of though." The man gave a pitiful smile to Sirius, "It's rare for English wizards to have your type of core, I apologize for not being able to offer more information."

Sirius nodded, he knew of the absence of information around his core. It wasn't as common to have his type of core as it used to be, probably due to the extreme inbreeding and segregation in the wizarding communities in the United Kingdom, but he wasn't sure. Because of this, wand-makers almost exclusively offered light- and dark-oriented cores. Last time around, this hadn't been a problem because he had refused the darker side of him, basically adopting a lighter core. But this time, he had openly started practicing darker magic. He had hoped this wouldn't be too big of an obstacle for choosing a wand but apparently, it was. He bit his lip, he had believed a phoenix feather would still work for him.

"Sirius?" Arcturus Black asked him, "You're aware of this?" The other Black looked at him, confused.

Sirius nodded slowly, unsure what to say. He hadn't prepared for this and he wasn't sure how much he wanted his family to know. "I have a gray core," he decided, "both light and dark magic come naturally to me."

His grandfather looked astonished, completely forgetting to ask why he knew this, he turned back to Ollivander, "There's really no other option?"

The old man shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Even if you'd decide to go to another wandmaker to try out different variations of the three cores it's very unlikely to get a match."

The older Blacks turned to look at each other and Sirius and sighed, "If there really isn't a different solution, we would like to take a look at the wands with these cores."

Ollivander declined his head, "Very well." 

He walked towards the very back of the store and pulled out a dusty decorated wooden box from beneath a table. He banished the dust with a flick of his wrist and grimaced, it would be the first time in decades that this box would be opened, he realized. 

There were only three wands left, Ollivander noted. This wasn't that surprising, these types of wands hadn't been created since the fourteenth century after all. He glanced at the wands, he just hoped the the young boy would match with one of them. 

"Here," Ollivander handed Sirius a blood-red wand, "Red oak, Thunderbird feather. Eleven and three-quarters inches, unyielding. Go on, try it out."

Sirius gave the wand a wave but nothing happened.

Ollivander gave him a brilliant smile, "Well, I would say you're our most difficult customer in centuries." He swapped the wand for a different one. "This one has ebony wood, Curupira hair. Nine inches."

The wand started glowing but suddenly stopped. 

The older man frowned. "Most difficult indeed." 

He looked at the last, and oldest, wand waiting patiently inside the box. "I wonder..." He took it and examined it curiously before giving it to Sirius.

Suddenly the light-colored wand started emitting a pleasant sound and Sirius felt a feeling of rightness spread to his body, one stronger than he had ever felt with his previous wands. He looked at the wand with astonishment and pride.

"Interesting," Ollivander said with a twinkle in his eyes. 

"What is it?" Sirius asked the man, realizing he'd never named the characteristics as he had done with the others. The other men in the shop joined him in looking at the shopkeeper with curiosity.

"It is very interesting, indeed, Mr. Black, that you should pair with this wand knowing that its core has only been matched up once in wizarding history." Ollivander gave Sirius a small smile and gestured to the wand still in his fingers, "Beechwood with a Thestral tail hair core, fifteen inches and slightly springy. Very curious, I would say you're destined for great things, Mr. Black."

Sirius gave the eccentric old man a look before shifting his gaze back to his wand. He didn't know whether or not what Ollivander had said would be a good or bad thing. On one hand, he could deduce that this would likely mean that his wand was very powerful. On the other, because of his unique wand, people would start watching him and raise their expectations of him with that. He clenched the hand around his wand, he would have to rethink the plans he had made with this. He couldn't stay in the shadows as he had planned before. No, he grinned, this had given him a fantastic excuse. After all, if everyone expected a prodigy then no one would be able to accuse him of time travel, right? 

He would show Hogwarts what it meant to be Sirius Black, that he would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit you guys. never did I ever think that this random idea of mine would be so welcomed. thank you all so much for the sweet comments!! they literally made my day. 
> 
> this chapter was a little late because I decided to start writing this in my exam week (yeah, probably not the best idea but well, it produced this gem didn't it?) but I intend to upload twice a week-ish. I've already got most of the plot outlined so it's just connecting the dots for now :). 
> 
> I should give you an obvious warning that I'm taking a lot of liberties with the original story but well, that's to be expected if you want some actual action at hogwarts. 
> 
> till the next chapter where you will be welcomed by some sirius black, severus snape and lily evans action! stay safe everyone


	3. Back (?) to school

"It's time." His grandfather spoke up to be heard above the hustle and bustle on the platform. Regulus looked up at his brother, teary-eyed. "Don't forget to write, Siri."

Sirius gave Regulus a wide grin. He had been using his nickname more often lately. "I won't. And I'll be back before you know it, so don't miss me too much." His little brother gave a shaky nod while Sirius ruffled his hair.

What a difference, he thought back with a grimace. Last time around, Regulus was happy he was gone. He had never treated him like he should have. At the time he had thought it was funny, seeing his little brother in tears because he just happened to cut a hole in all of his robes. He had always been jealous of Reggie, the 'better son'. The Slytherin. He sighed. Would he still be a disappointment this time around? If so, this could be the last time he'd interact with his family like this. He knew his father had said it was okay to be in a different house, but he couldn't forget about what had happened that other time.

Walburga smiled and knelt down to Sirius' level. "Make the Black family proud." She caressed his cheek, "And remember, Sirius, _ Toujours pur._" Sirius nodded. She had said the same thing the last day he had left for Hogwarts, too. It was the last time they had had a civil conversation. 

His father motioned for him to come over when Walburga stood back up. 

"Fa-" He was suddenly enveloped in warmth. 

"We're all going to miss you dearly, Sirius." Orion's deep voice rumbled from around him. Sirius hadn't noticed he had started crying before Orion handed him a black handkerchief. 

"...Thank you." He said in a small voice. 

"You will be fine, young man." His grandfather said in a warm voice, "If you can't trust the wandmaker, trust us, for we all believe it." He hesitates, "I was planning on giving this to you later, but..." he produces a small box from his pouch and gives it to Sirius. "I think everyone here will agree with me that you've deserved it."

Sirius examines the wooden box curiously. He'd never seen it before. It's engraved with ravens and skulls and what seems to be the family motto. "It- It's beautiful."

Arcturus smiles, "Go on, open it."

Sirius' eyes widened when he realized what's sitting inside the box. He snapped his gaze back to Lord Black, "My Lord, I- I can't. This is-" Before he could continue, his father interrupted him. 

"It's yours, Sirius. It was always going to be. You just received it a little sooner than expected."

He shifted his eyes back to the ring inside the box. It was the Heir ring of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Giving this ring to a living descendant symbolized absolute trust and power. Wearing it would mean he would automatically be the one to inherit the lordship after his grandfather's death, regardless of anyone with a better claim. After all, the past lord had chosen _ him _ for the task. Not even Regulus had gotten the ring in his past life.

"I'm sorry, I can't accept this. It's not mine to receive." Sirius said in a quiet voice. Was this a test? Why else would he receive this ring? He hadn't done anything notable, he had mainly just stayed inside and studied. And before that, he'd terrorized the house. He didn't understand, what would make Lord Black think that Sirius would deserve the ring before his own son?

Arcturus sighed, "What will make you think that it is?"

Sirius scratched the back of his head, not sure what to say.

"Oh, Sirius. Is this because of the upcoming sorting?" When Sirius wouldn't meet his eyes, Orion's voice softened. "We've talked about this, son. It won't make a difference."

Walburga snarled at that, "Oh, please. As if Sirius would be in any house other than Slytherin."

Sirius flinched a little but managed to keep his composure. How would Walburga react to his sorting this life? He hadn't thought about it much because his father had kept reassuring him. Should he have?

"Well, it will all come out in due time." Lord Black continued, "Let's not discuss the probabilities. I will keep the ring for you for now, if you want. But believe me, when I say this, you will get it back."

Sirius nodded, relieved that the conversation was over. 

-HP-

Sirius had been about to board the train when a tall man with a fair complexion stopped him.

"Heir Black, this is my son Lucius." Abraxas Malfoy gave him a tight-lipped smile, "Your grandfather has probably already told you of our... arrangement."

The Black nodded. Lord Black had told him that it was a tradition that pureblood heirs to a notable house like Black had a guide at Hogwarts. It was a way of protecting the heir and making sure they got the education that the school didn't offer. It was also looked down upon by the light side of the wizarding community.

"Heir Malfoy," Sirius greeted the other teen with a small bow. 

He knew why Lord Malfoy had offered his son to take the place of guide for him. Abraxas would soon start pushing for a marriage between Narcissa Black, his niece, and Lucius. Currently, he was trying to curry favor with his grandfather, which had created this situation. A fellow Noble and Most Ancient house would normally never stoop this low without having vassalship as the main cause. But here they were, taking advantage of the fact that the Blacks didn't have any vassals this generation. Sirius flashed the other men a grin. Well, it wasn't like his grandfather wasn't aware of this already. 

"Heir Black," Lucius gave Sirius a bow as well, "May this be the start of a wonderful friendship."

"May our collaboration be beneficial to both of us." He smirked. Lucius would probably catch the hidden meaning in that. No, he would not be taken advantage of this time. 

"I will see you in December, Lucius." Abraxas chuckled and shook his head before walking away. Orion really had gotten lucky with the boy.

-HP-

Lucius seemed considerate enough. He had told him about his standing within the Slytherin house after his father had left. That and him being a prefect gave him the ability to protect Sirius from the inner-house disputes. He would also be able to answer any questions he had about the Dark Arts he would continue to learn while being at Hogwarts. Sirius wondered how that would work when he got sorted into Gryffindor, though. Last time around, Lucius hadn't bothered to continue being his guide. But then again, he hadn't had a favorable position within his family then. And Lucius hadn't respected him, but rather his father. Sirius sighed as the train left the platform. This was it. He couldn't go back now. 

"What are you doing?" Lucius asked when he suddenly started to walk in a different direction.

Sirius gave him a look, "I'm going around to meet the other first-years."

Lucius sighed, "Right. Well, I'm in the compartment over there with the other prefects if you need me." He pointed down the very end of the train. Sirius nodded in response before striding away. He hadn't left Lucius' side in his past life, missing the opportunity to scope out his year mates. He grinned. Who should he look for first?

-HP-

Well. When he'd caught a flash of black hair and a similarly colored uniform, he had thought it was James' compartment. Apparently not.

"And who are you to suddenly barge into our car?" A boy and girl his age looked up at him with wide eyes. 

He sighed and scratched the back of his head. This would only happen to him. 

"Black... Sirius Black," he answered the obviously younger version of his least favorite potion master. Not that he had a favorite.

The other eleven-year-olds just stared at him.

He started fidgeting with his hands, "You know... It's rude to ask someone to introduce themselves and then not say your name in response."

"And it is polite to suddenly bash a door open? Of a _ private _ compartment, might I add?" The redhead spoke up quite fiercely. Sirius flinched. How had he forgotten about Lily's temper? That look in her eyes gave him flashbacks to times he didn't want to think about. He shivered, unable to control himself.

"You're a pureblood." His archenemy suddenly spoke up.

Sirius blinked, "Yes."

The other boy frowned in response, "Aren't you supposed to ignore our existence?" He gestured to the robes they were wearing. While they were of good quality, they were obviously not of pureblood standards.

Sirius' mind froze. The boy had a good point. He hadn't really thought about it before, but a lot of the people he was intending to get close to were muggle-borns or at least half-bloods. He cursed his past self in his mind. He would need to look for excuses to befriend them. Otherwise, he'd never hear the end of it from his father. God, and the fact that Lord Black currently favored him only made it worse. People had expectations of him, and even if he intended to blow them, he'd still need to keep up appearances. But well, it was too late now anyway. He turned to look at Lily and Snape who were sitting on the same bench. And he had promised he'd be his own person this time, anyway.

"I mean, I guess," Sirius said after a contemplative silence. He took a seat opposite the eleven-year-olds.

Snape narrowed his eyes, "Then why aren't you?"

Sirius scratched the back of his neck and grimaced, "I don't know."

Snape and Lily just kept staring at him.

"Look, I thought you were someone else. But you're not." Sirius rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to say. "... And I can't decide if I'm grateful or sad about it," he muttered in the end.

Lily's eyes widened, "You know some of our classmates already?"

Sirius smiled, "I guess. I'm familiar with most of the purebloods and half-bloods of the notable families because of all the conventions my family forced me to go to. I'm the heir, you see. Well, the eldest son of the heir." He purposefully left out the fact that he wouldn't have been able to recall even one name if he hadn't time-traveled. 

His gaze softened, "My grandfather says it's the same thing, though."

"I thought members of pureblood families weren't supposed to be close to each other because of inheritance issues," Lily remarked curiously. Snape nodded in response.

Sirius blinked. Did Lily know about wizarding culture before? He narrowed his eyes, "How do you know that? Aren't you supposed to be muggle-born?"

Lily's eyes widened, "Oh, it's because Sev-"

"How do you know she's a muggleborn?" Snape interrupted her with a glare. 

Well, shit. "Um, well-" Sirius shifted around uncomfortably. "It's because of her- Yes! It's because of her hair!" He pointed at Lily's red locks, "Everyone knows the only wizarding family with red hair is the Weasleys and they haven't got any kids that are old enough to attend Hogwarts." He applauded himself for his safe. He really needed to let his mind catch up with his mouth, or it would be the end of him. 

"Oh, really? I didn't know that." Lily replied with a small smile, "My name's Lily. Lily Evans. I know about your traditions and stuff because Sev taught me." She gestured to the boy sitting next to her. "We grew up together. He noticed me doing accidental magic, and the rest is history."

"We're going to go to Slytherin together," Severus added happily. "I'm Severus Snape, by the way."

Sirius blinked. He really thought that the fiery Lily could be anything else than a Gryffindor? He knew Snape had been obsessed with Lily during their time at Hogwarts, but that was news to him. Interesting.

"Which house are you going to be sorted in, Sirius?" Lily asked enthusiastically.

He turned to the window of the compartment, "...I'm not sure yet."

"Doesn't every member of the Black family get sorted into Slytherin?" Snape replied.

"Please don't remind me." Sirius burrowed his head in his lap. 

"You don't think you're going to that house then?"

"What's wrong with Slytherin?"

Sirius lifted his head slightly to look at a ticked off Snape. What was he even doing? Of course, it was too much to hope that he had changed. No, sitting before him was a halfblood with pureblood supremacy beliefs and an unnatural obsession with all things Slytherin. In his past life, he had questioned the fact of why Snape would befriend Lily. But asking Lily to join him on Voldemort's side was proof that he had always had ulterior motives. Hell, he'd even called Lily a mudblood once. 

He clenched his fist. Of course, he hadn't been a saint either. He had grown up sheltered and was forced to submit to the oppressive ideologies of his family, making him arrogant and reckless. This wasn't an excuse though, he had basically ruined Snape's life. 

He had even almost killed him. 

"I'm sorry," Sirius suddenly stood up. "I need to go." He needed to get out of there, right now. He ignored the surprised shouts behind him as he left the compartment. 

How could he have forgotten about that?

-HP-

Sirius curled into himself on a bench in an empty compartment. He had never given the accident a lot of thought after it happened. Dumbledore had written it off as a mere prank between children. But why had he made Snape owe a life debt to James, then? No, Sirius had always known the incident had almost been fatal to Snape. He'd never felt sorry for it until now, too. Just seeing Snape sitting there, still a prat but a _ child. _ He couldn't see him as evil anymore, he'd realized. Yes, he still held the same beliefs, but he hadn't done anything yet. Just like James was different for him this time, Snape was too.

His eyes widened in realization. A large reason for why the Marauders had started targetting Snape was because he was obsessed with the Dark Arts. How could he judge him for that now that he had started to learn them, too?

"...Hey, I saw you sitting here an- Are you alright?"

He looked at the boy who just entered his compartment through his tears. He sat up quickly. 

"Ja- Potter," He croaked out, "Why are you here?"

The raven-haired boy's eyes grew large. "I heard you weren't with the... others." He scratched the back of his head, "Look, I just wanted to apologize for Diagon Alley."

Sirius blankly stared at James. Was he seeing this right?

"I didn't know, okay?" James looks frustrated with himself, "I shouldn't have said it, sorry."

He should probably say something back, he realized after James just awkwardly stood in the doorway, but he just couldn't seem to find the words.

"Whatever."

Had he just apologized? Seriously? Sirius gaped at the spot where James had stood. Was this really the same world he was used to? He shook his head. It didn't matter anymore. It wasn't like he could go back. Or that he wanted to. He turned to look outside the window. How would it be this time? Sirius was pretty sure he had ruined his chances of a friendship with James after that meeting in the bookshop but apparently not. 

Sirius sighed. What would being roommates mean for their relationship? It had brought them closer last time. They had had a lot in common, but he wasn't sure that was the case anymore. Would living together make them enemies? Sirius could only hope not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi again!
> 
> I forgot to write down my reasoning for Sirius' wand to have been made out of beechwood in the last chapter notes so here it is: 
> 
> I've personally always believed that a beech wand would be the perfect fit for a time-traveller because it's said to be a true match for someone who's wise beyond their years and rich in understanding and experience. beechwood also dislikes narrow-minded and intolerant witches and wizards, so I thought it would be nice to have that contrast as well, considering how much Sirius is starting to develop different values. it's also quite a popular wood to use for wandmaking, which definitely played a role in my research because I didn't want Sirius to have the deathstick 2.0. I mean, it kind of is already because of the core but well. I just didn't want to make Siri so overpowered that it feels unrealistic. I hope this clarified some things!
> 
> also, Sirius will finally be sorted in the next chapter! who's excited? because I am


	4. Toujours pur?

Sirius dried his tears quickly when it was time to leave the train. Seeing and talking to the young Snape had messed with his head. The boy still had possibilities now, a future, one he had ruined in another life. Sirius gritted his teeth. It wasn't even the fact that he had almost killed him that troubled Sirius the most. No. He had essentially chosen Snape's life for him. He recognized that now. It wasn't going to happen again. 

He slapped his cheeks. God, he needed to focus. He looked down at his tear-stained robes. And he was supposed to be thirty-seven, for fuck's sake. Well, here was to hoping no one would notice.

He took a deep breath before opening the compartment door and peeking out. It was dark outside, so the lights had turned on. A couple of students had already left the train. The ones that didn't yet were busy making their way to the exit. Nobody would see him in the growing crowd, Sirius decided. In the end, he joined the people on the bustling platform.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"

-HP-

Seeing Hogwarts again was anything but underwhelming. Sirius looked around the Great Hall that was illuminated by thousands of floating, lit candles. He had never thought about it before, but this place must've been awful for Remus. Just the noise alone would've been horrible for his sensitive ears. But no, the ceiling had to be charmed to show the night's sky. Confronting Remus with his fate almost every night. Reminding him of his _ curse _ . He looked around and spotted the boy's face in the crowd. Sirius almost didn't recognize him, with the absence of the jagged and scarred man that he knew. He still saw the anxiety in the eyes that kept darting around, though. 

Sirius swallowed. He knew why Remus was this nervous. The werewolf hadn't told him till his third year, but if Remus messed up this chance, the chance to go to Hogwarts, he would almost certainly be killed. No, the wizarding culture had never been kind to supposedly 'dark' creatures. Sirius bit his lip. Even Dumbledore, who proclaimed his support to the misunderstood part of their community, wasn't an activist and probably never would be either. Sirius had never understood why until You-Know-Who started his raids. The minorities were dangerous, and this made people afraid of them. He acknowledged that, of course. It wasn't like their fear was unjustified. Having said that, however, it wasn't something to be encouraged either. No, Sirius had realized it quite a while ago, though Lord Black had helped. 

While some werewolves had agreed with the Dark Lord and his views, most of the creatures had joined his side because he offered what others didn't. Support. Acceptance. Protection. The wizarding community had a broken world, and its leaders weren't doing anything to fix it. 

Well, it wasn't like he could do anything about it. Right?

He looked up from his feet to see that the Hat had already finished singing its song. Sirius smiled. Finally. Not that it was out of tune or something. Standing next to young-James was just weirding him out.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall called out. Man, it would be weird to have her look at him with new eyes. Minerva had never forgiven him and the other Marauders for the sheer amount of chaos they had caused, but now she would.

"Black, Sirius!" Sirius couldn't help but notice that he was the first to be sorted, just like last time. He could hear the murmuring of the students increase as he walked towards the stool. It wasn't every day that the heir of a Noble and Most Ancient House would join Hogwarts after all.

Here goes nothing.

'Well, well, what do we have here?' a voice sounded in his head. It seemed surprised, shocked even.

'Hello again.' Sirius replied with a smirk.

'This is a surprise. I supposed something like this could happen one day, but this...'

The Hat paused mid-sentence, '...I suppose I was wrong, after all.'

Sirius blinked, 'Wrong? About what?'

'You need to understand, Mr. Black,' the Hat hesitated, 'I sort people based on potential, based on the choices that they might make. _ Might. _ Not will.'

'What does that mean?' He was beginning to feel frustrated. This was supposed to be simple. Walk to the stool, sit down, get sorted, and walk to the Gryffindor table. 

'It means, Mr. Black, that you have used your talents in a way I did not expect. You are going down a different path now.' 

Sirius frowned. That was the point, wasn't it?

'So where shall I put you?'

He stayed silent. It just hit him, could he actually not be sorted into Gryffindor this time? 

'Hardworking. A desire to succeed, too, to protect...' The hat trailed off, 'Well, you were raised with them, of course. But then again, hmm...'

'I'll be damned, Mr. Black, I'm afraid you're one of my famed hat stalls.'

What a lovely little mess I've made, Sirius thought.

'Well, I was one last time around,' he replied casually.

The hat frowned and continued muttering till it suddenly stopped.

'Oh yes,' the hat paused. 'Why didn't I see it before? That shouldn't have been difficult at all.'

'No?' 

'Not at all, Mr. Black,' the voice in his head sounded warm, 'not at all.'

'I wish you luck, boy, I really do. Better be...'

"RAVENCLAW!"

-HP-

The fact that the hall was near silent after Sirius' sorting was probably not a good thing. And neither was the way the headmaster had looked at him. Lucius had found him after the feast and told him to calm down. At least Ravenclaw wasn't as bad as Gryffindor, or god forbid, Hufflepuff. Sirius grimaced. He wasn't sure his family would think that way, though. The Black motto, _Toujours pu r_ _,_ always pure, wasn't referencing blood alone like most thought. 

He had debated fighting the Hat's decision. When Harry had told him that was possible, he had started laughing out of sheer disbelief. Of course, there had been an easy solution to all of his problems. Of course, there had. But no, he sighed. It was better this way. He wouldn't have fitted in with the Slytherins, anyway. Hell, they'd probably have wasted him if he went into the pit.

And besides, Sirius thought while looking at his new roommates. This was probably better. Better than being sorted into Gryffindor, too. Fewer chances to slip up, for one. He groaned while he buried his head in his pillow. He had already sent off an owl to the Blacks to tell them about his _ unfortunate _ s orting. He wanted his family to find out about it through him, this time. Would Reggie stop talking to him this time too? He knew his father had told him it wouldn't matter, but he couldn't help but worry. And well, considering everything that happened in his past life... He wasn't sure if his worries were unrequited. Sirius turned, so he faced the ceiling. Well, whatever. It wasn't like he could change anything that happened now. He sighed. He should just try and get some sleep.

-HP-

"Why aren't you eating, Black?" The future Death Eater looked at him with a worried expression. Although was he even going to be one this time around? Man, time travel was confusing, alright. Sirius sighed. Was it his responsibility to stop him? He bit his lip. He was given this chance, after all. And who was he to think his family and friends had priority over others? But then again, Sirius wasn't stupid enough to realize that he couldn't save everyone. Hell, he was sure some people didn't even want to be. Who was Sirius to decide what was right and wrong? Should he even try to change anything? Of course, it was too late to change his mind now, but that didn't mean he didn't think about it.

"It's a Wrackspurt," Pandora Pike replied convincedly, "I knew I felt one on the train yesterday. I should've warned the headmaster."

Xenophilius 'Xeno' Lovegood, who was sitting next to the girl, sighed softly. "It's obvious why, isn't it?" He looked around the small group of pureblood first-years who were sitting at the Ravenclaw table. 

"It's the post."

"But... It hasn't arrived ye- Oh." Barty Crouch's expression stiffened. 

"Yes."

Pandora frowned, "You really think the house of Black would publicly humiliate their heir like that?"

"Guys," Sirius grunted. The group fell silent. "You're not exactly helping."

"Well, he is the first non-Slytherin in the family." Barty started, "Ever. That has to be a big deal, right?"

Xenophilius nodded solemnly, "And don't forget the Black's family motto."

"Does anyone even listen to me?"

"Ravenclaws are known to speak their minds, after all." Pandora returned. 

"You sure you're a Ravenclaw, Black?"

But before Sirius could reply, he was interrupted by the excited hushes of students accompanied by the fluttering of wings. A large black owl was making its way to him. It was carrying something red. Great. His father's words were too beautiful to believe, after all. He should've known.

-HP-

From the table beside his, he could see Snape looking at him with a worried expression. He was pretty sure Lily was doing the same over at the Gryffindor table, but he wasn't ready to turn around and check. Most of the Slytherins had started glaring at him after Walburga had stopped her screeching. Sirius swore that woman had lungs the size of a Giant and the voice of a Banshee. Most of the other houses would probably agree, going by the looks of sheer astonishment the letter had caused. Or maybe it was just her language, Sirius wasn't sure. Walburga Black had always been creative with her non-magical curses. Not that she wasn't with her magical ones, ha.

On the other side of his table, the future Lovegood couple was exchanging looks. Barty Crouch was staring at him, as if in contemplation.

"I won't be mad, you know." Sirius started. He hadn't had to deal with this last time.

"...What?" Pandora looked puzzled.

He swallowed, "We're only together because of our families, anyway. I understand if you'd want to sever our connection."

Barty snorted, "Mate, calm down. It's not like she disowned you."

"Crouch is right," Xenophilius replied quickly.

"We're just concerned, that's all." Pandora said, "Is your mother always like that?"

Sirius blinked, "Like what?"

"She threatened to have your magic bound if you continued to go light."

"Ah," He sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"You didn't even blink, either," Crouch added.

"Well, she can be quite, um," Sirius hesitated, "...colorful with her words. You get used to it."

Pandora raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

I just hope she won't punish Reggie, he thought, still remembering what happened the first time he got the Howler. Maybe it was because he was so deep in thought. He didn't notice the second owl's arrival till the black monstrosity was aggressively pecking his arm. Sirius hurriedly tried to free the package from the owl's grasp and cursed when he accidentally dropped it. 

Sirius froze when he realized what his family must've sent him. With trembling fingers, he opened the box. 

His father had been right, after all, he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is! hope you like my scene with the sorting hat. spoiler: it was very hard to write. I think I got through about four drafts before deciding on this one lmao. see you all in the next chapter, where Sirius gets confronted by a suspicious Dumbledore!
> 
> happy holidays everyone :)  
> levi


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